Permutation lock



July 7, 1936. W- Hl-r 2,047,102

PERMUTATION LOCK Filed Jan. 27, 1956 Patented July 7, 1936 UNITED STATES 2,047,102 i PERMUTATION LooK Edward W. Hite, Lancaster, Pa., assignor to The Haymaker Lock Company, Lancasten, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application January 27, 1936, Serial No. 61,096

4 Claims.

This invention relates to locks and more particularly to padlocks, with reference especially to that type of such devices generally known as combination or permutation locks. p

It aims to provide a simplified lock wherein all unnecessary parts are eliminated and the usual tensioning means operable on the bolt or shackle and locking element in order to produce a snap action of release are dispensed with, thereby 30 rendering the lock less susceptible of opening by chance setting of its tumblers, in addition to reducing the cost and workmanship of production.

Another object is to produce a suitably strong y and secure lock that cannot be opened until its tumblers are moved to the predetermined setting therefor and is opened after such setting by a mere pull upon the shackle.

A further object is to provide a lookin which the engagement of the shackle is effected bythe shackle upon pushing the same back into locking position within the casing, without at the same time upsetting or dislodging the placement of the tumblers, so that the shackle will be both released and reengaged by movementsof the shackle itself".

An important purpose also is to provide a lock that cannot be opened easily by feelingt the tumbler action of release by frictional movement against other parts in the way theft openings are often attempted, the permutation mechanism being nevertheless of simple form and character, easy to assemble and readily replaceable for a1- teration when desired.

Other objects, in addition to the general concept and advantages of the invention, will kbe rer vealed by the following description with reference to an illustrative embodiment of the same shown in the attached drawing:

In said drawing:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a padlock constructed in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side or end elevation of the same;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section through the lock on a view corresponding to Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a view corresponding to Fig. 1, with the front plate of the lock removed to expose the operating parts; Y

Fig. 5 is an inverted elevational View ofthe front plate removed in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 4, showing the operating parts in a different and .releasing position;

Fig. 7 isa like View showing the parts in released position, with the shackle withdrawn;

Fig. 8 is a sectional View taken von the line 8--8 of Fig. '7;

(Cl. Y0-113) Fig. 9 is a plan view of the permutation tumblers and spacing elements arranged side by side in their assembly relation; and

Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional View of the center tumbler. 5

In the illustrated construction, the padlock casing is formed by opposite flangedplate members II and I2, one forming the front and the other forming the back section thereof. These are secured together by rivets I3, of which there are l0 only three in this instance, disposed advantageously on the points of an isosceles triangle centrally of the casing front, the same. being, of course, inwardly shouldered and upset at opposite ends and their ends or heads in the front plate 15 face being preferably reamed down substantially flush and smooth with its surface. Said rivets are large and strong enough to hold and support the casing plates against heavy blows of attempted breakage, in addition to securing them closely 20 together so as not to be separated by the insertion of a'wedging tool. Apertures I4 formed in the top of the casing, partly in one and partly in the other plate, provide for the reception of a shackle.

The shackle member, comprising a U-shaped bar I5, is slidable in the casing through the aioresaid apertures formed in the top. The longer arm |511 of this shackle extends inwardly through one of said apertures and through a subjacent 30 guide plate I6 substantially toward the bottom of the casing, and is anchored therein by ear-lugs I1 or the equivalent limiting its outward movement but permitting it to rotate upon itsaXis. The shorter arm |5b extends through the other of said apertures only a short distance into the casing and is formed with a notch I8 at its end by which to be engaged. VSaid shorter arm is adapted to swing with rotation of the longer arm, in either direction, when released and the shackle is withdrawn sufficiently from the casing, the outward slide movement being confined to a short extent in this instance, in preference to a substantial withdrawal of the shackle. One reason for this is that the lock is designed and intended 'to be compact, and when made in small sizes there will be very little and restricted casing space within which to provide for the slide movement.

The shackle is engaged in its locking position by a locking pawl I9, fulcrumed to swing as by 50 pivoting at one end on one of the rivets I3, substantially in line with the short arm axis of the shackle. This pawl, shown comprising an arcuate lever member, is formed with a lateral dog portion or lug I9a on its free end fitting into the notch (I8) of the shackle located in said short arm; a similar portion or lug I9b engaging under or against the end of said arm at the opposite side; and a third such portion or lug |9c adapted to bear against the permutation tumbler elements later described. These three lateral portions are formed in a substantially triangular relation upon the end and opposite sides of the pawl, the first (|921) at a downward angle to the notch and the others (I9b and I 9) at appropriate angles to the surfaces against which they bear. Also, in certain instances, the lower or pivoted end of the pawl is made wide enough to provide an abutment edge I9d which will strike against the inner wall of the casing so as to prevent its swinging too far in one direction, or to the left in this instance. However, this will not be necessary in locks made small enough to give the pawl very little room for swing movement, its lug I9b then being capable of serving the function by itself striking against the casing wall. The purpose is simply to keep the pawl from swinging beyond the small arc limit of the action intended so that its lug I9b cannot be carried out of contact line with the shackle arm.

Operating upon said locking pawl is a plurality of permutation disc-tumblers 29, of which there are three in this instance, rotatable upon a cornmon axis pin 2| fixed to the back plate of the casing. These tumblers, having their edges normally bearing against the lug I9c of the pawl so as to hold it securely engaged with the shackle, each have a peripheral recess or detent 22 in which to receive said lug. Each also has a short pin or stud 23 extending from its face engageable with a like pin or stud on the tumbler above or below it, the middle tumbler having two of such studs, extending from opposite faces or sides diametrically opposite to each other (see Fig. 10). These studs may be formed by pressing out the metal of the discs as shown clearly in Fig. 10 and indicated also in Fig. 9, their purpose being to render the tumblers each rotatable by the tumbler immediately above it in a manner well known and understood in this art. These tumblers are separated by spacers 24, comprising leaf plates of the peculiar form illustrated in Fig. 9, having cutout centers so as not to obstruct the inter-pin engagement of the tumblers with each other. Semi-circular recesses 25 in the sides of said spacers adapt them to placement fitting between the lower pair of casing rivets I3 so as to be held nonrotatable but capable of axial movement with the tumblers, and recesses or gap spaces 26 in their peripheries opposite the position of the lug I9c of the pawl allow said lug to be received freely into the tumbler recesses (22) when the latter are brought into registration opposite the same. A spring 21 on the aforesaid axis pin serves to Compress the tumblers and spacers closely together for proper operation of the mechanism.

The topmost tumbler is connected for rotation from the casing exterior by a spindle comprising a flat plate piece 28 extending through an opening in the front plate member (I I). The inner end of this piece is slot-fitted through said tumbler, in line with the axis pin, and in this instance secured by riveting or upsetting thereover (see Figs. 3, 5 and 9), so as to carry said tumbler xed thereon, whereas the other tumblers are mounted independently on the axis pin. It will be understood that in some instances it may be preferred to mount all of the tumblers direct and solely upon the pin in which case the spindle part would not be engaged over the topmost tumbler and would simply extend loosely therethrough in operative engagement. An advantage of the present arrangement however is that it facilitates the assembly and the tumbler is utilized as a clamp or fastening piece on the inner side of the casing plate. This spindle is recessed as represented at 29 to fit over the axis pin of the tumblers with an allowable axial play. Its outer end carries an operating cap-piece or knob 30, having a pointer 3| thereon movable over a graduated dial 32 on the front face of the casing which is applied advantageously by stamping the metal.

It will be understood that rotation of the knob causes rotation of the topmost tumbler so as to rotate the others, one by another, in opposite directions. The several tumblers may thus be set into predetermined permutative positioning by which to bring their respective recesses (22) correspondingly into register opposite the lug I9c of the locking pawl, by rotating in one direction,

rst to set the lower tumbler by pin action of the middle tumbler thereon; then in the opposite direction to similarly set the middle tumbler; and finally back again in the original direction to set the third tumbler. The setting of the tumblers, of course, will depend upon the relation they bear to one another, that is, the relation of the recess and pin of each to that of the recess and pin in the others. The combination can, accordingly, be regulated or changed as desired, their positioning to open the lock being controlled with reference to the dial. This, of course, is common and well understood in the art and forms no part of the invention per se.

The lowermost tumbler of the permutation mechanism is made of a diameter slightly less than the diameter of the others, as indicated in Fig. 3, the lesser measure, however, being of a small extent and measurable only micrometrically. The purpose of this is to minimize the pressure of edgewise bearing against the lug I9c of the pawl, and in fact to relieve said lowermost disc of actual pressure thereon such as the others have, so that its action will be imperceptible and the lock cannot be opened easily by feeling out the tumblers to bring them into registry with the pawl lug.

In operation, the lock is opened by turning the knob (30) with its pointer over the dial so as to set the tumblers into opening position one after the other in the usual way. This brings the recesses (22) of the several tumblers into registry opposite the lug I9c of the pawl, as indicated in Fig. 6, whereupon the pawl will be free to swing with said lug received into said recesses. Since the pawl is not under spring tension however, it will not normally swing to such position, even with this freedom to do so, and remains in the position of Fig. 6. The shackle, accordingly, remains still engaged. The shackle is fully and easily released then by a. direct outward pull thereon, whereupon the lug |9 engaged in its notch will ride off the lower surface of said notch and swing the pawl into the position of Fig. 7, thereby allowing the shackle to be fully withdrawn as indicated. In this position, the lug I9c of the pawl is engaged in the recesses (22) of the tumblers and holds the tumblers against rotation and upsetting.

When it is desired to relock the lock, the shackle is pushed inward again, and in so doing, its short arm impinges against the lug I9b of the pawl so as to move the pawl in the opposite direction of its swing and reengage the lug I9a Within the shackle notch, thereby simultaneously withdrawing the lug I9c from the recesses of the tumblers. The tumblers are then moved by turning the dial so as to upset the combination and remove their recesses from the position opposite said lug (|9c) and the lock is then again locked with the pawl engaged in the notch and bearing against the tumblers to be held tight in place. It will be noted that the shackle is released by the pull upon it and not by any initial movement inward, its full release being effected solely by the direct outward pull after the tumblers have been set to allow the pawl to swing into the position of Fig. 7.

It will be obvious that Various changes in construction and arrangement and various combinations and subcombinations of the elements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, so that it is not intended by the appended claims to limit the invention to the specific construction and arrangement or organization illustrated and described.

Furthermore, the term shackle as hereinafter used in the claims is intended to include any equivalent or corresponding member, such as the sliding tongue or catch bolt of a latch lock, and is not intended to be limited to the shackle of the padlock alone.

Having thus described my invention, what I Y claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a lock, including a shackle and permutation tumblers, a locking member operable between the shackle and tumblers to engage the shackle in locking position, said member being pivoted substantially in line with one of the arms of the shackle at one side of the tumblers and being movable into and out of engagement with said arm of the shackle depending upon the setting of the tumblers against which it bears in the engaging position, its movement out of engagement therewith being solely by direct outward pull upon the shackle with said arm acting thereagainst and its movement into reengagement therewith being solely by direct push of the shackle with said arm striking thereagainst.

2. In a lock, including a shackle and permuta` tion tumblers, a locking member operable between the shackle and tumblers to engage the shackle in locking position, said member being pivoted substantially in line with one of the arms of the shackle at one side of the tumblers and being movable into and out of engagement with said arm depending upon the setting of the tumblers against which it bears in the engaging position, the shackle being released by the member Whenso permitted by the tumblers by direct pull upon the shackle moving said member out of the engaging position by the action of its said arm thereagainst.

3. In a lock, including a sliding shackle and permutation tumblers, a locking element operable between the shackle and tumblers to engage and disengage the shackle, said element being pivoted substantially in line with one of the arms of the shackle at one side of the tumblers and being held normally engaged with said arm of the shackle by the tumblers by bearing thereagainst, but being freed by the tumblers so as to disengage the shackle arm when the tumblers are set into'predetermined opening position, the shackle being then released merely by direct outward pull thereon moving said element by the action of its arm thereon.

4. In a lock, including a sliding shackle and permutation tumblers, a locking pawl operable between the shackle and tumblers to lock and release the shackle depending upon the setting of the tumblers, said pawl being pivoted substantially in line with one of the arms of the shackle at one side of the tumblers and having a portion engaging in a notch in said arm of the shackle, another portion bearing againsti CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. 2,047, 102. July '7, 1956.

EDWARD W. HITE.

It is hereby certified that the name ci" the assignee in the above numbered patent was erroneously Written and printed as "The Haymalier Lock Company" Whereas said name should have been written and printed as The Slaymaker Lock Company, of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, a corporation of Pennsylvania, as shown by the records of assignments in this office; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this llth day of August, A. D. 1936.

Henry Van Arsdale {Seal} Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

